Hyundai Motor, South Korea’s largest automaker, is struggling in the Chinese market, but its strong brand recognition and popularity remain evident.
The company’s joint venture in China, Beijing Hyundai, ranks seventh among automakers on Chinese social media platform Weibo, with more than 5.95 million followers — a sign that its digital presence could help drive a turnaround.
Several Chinese media outlets reported on July 17 that Beijing Hyundai’s Weibo account had 5,955,000 followers, ranking seventh among automakers in the country.
Chinese automakers commonly use Weibo to engage with customers and boost brand awareness through frequent posts and campaigns, which often help drive sales.
Great Wall Motors topped the list with nearly 10.84 million followers, including those from its sub-brands Ora, Wey, and Cannon.
Changan Auto and SAIC Volkswagen followed with about 10.29 million and 6.18 million followers, respectively, rounding out the top three. They were followed by Chery (7.56 million), Geely (6.68 million), Huawei’s Aito (6.09 million), Beijing Hyundai, FAW (4.89 million), BYD (4.15 million), and Dongfeng Peugeot Citroën (3.64 million).
Leveraging its strong Weibo following, Beijing Hyundai hopes to further improve its brand image and boost sales. In June, the company sold 21,713 vehicles in China, up 66% year over year. Its sales in the first half of 2025 reached 100,016 units, a 22% increase from a year earlier, already representing 75% of last year’s full-year total.
Hyundai’s sales in China had been declining since 2017 due to a combination of geopolitical tensions over the THAAD missile defense system, the COVID-19 pandemic, and its reliance on internal combustion engine models. After peaking at 1.14 million vehicles sold in 2016, Beijing Hyundai’s sales plummeted to just 154,000 last year.
The company now sees its strong digital engagement as an opportunity to rebuild its presence in the world’s largest auto market.
